12:08 East of Bucharest (2006)

12:08 East of Bucharest

Corneliu Porumboiu

Romania

Set in the Romanian town of Vaslui sixteen years after the fall of the Communist regime, 12:08 East of Bucharest tells the story of a place and its people struggling to find its identity post revolution.  The film takes place in a single days time, and centers around a talk show host’s singular question; was there or wasn’t there a revolution?

As the film opens we are introduced to three central characters. Mr. Jderescu (Teodor Corban), a textile owner turned talk show host, who begs the central question. Although, Mr. Jderescu’s life is not that of a traditional talk show host, as he spends most of the day on the phone leaving nasty (and hilarious) voice messages for the guests he cannot get a hold of the day of the show.  As replacements for his guests, Mr. Jderescu first finds a master at deadpan comedy, Old Man Piscoci (Mircea Andreescu). The old man is known in town for his seemingly legendary role as Santa Claus. Still, most of the kids in the town scare him throughout the day with ear piercing fireworks. Mr. Jderescu’s second guest is Manescu (Ion Sapdaru), a high school history teacher and town drunk. The task of recalling the 1989 revolution is reluctantly placed in the hands of these two.

Throughout the day leading up to the talk show, Porumboiu takes us through the monotony of life in Romania. The use of a colorless landscape and seemingly every tone of grey throughout the film leaves the viewer wanting out of such a dreary town. Residents of Vaslui are readying themselves for the Christmas holiday, but the general well-being and cheer that accompanies such a celebration can only be found in dirty Santa suits and half-baked Christmas trees.  While battling a busted signal in his television set, Old Man Piscoci is asked to fill in as Santa Claus. He tries on a weathered Santa suit he refers to as a “dirty dishtowel,” in one of the films many dry comedic moments. The children cannot be found in the streets playing sports or riding bicycles, but rather they spend the day scaring old men with fireworks. Even the tripod used for the talk show camera does not work properly. The revolution has clearly not brought much fortune to the town of Vaslui.

Porumboiu chooses to use single stationary camera shots throughout the entirety of the film, further adding to the drab disposition of the Romanian town. Even through his camera technique blends seamlessly into the final act of the talk show, the director purposefully uses theses simple shots to convey the dull lifestyle.  Once the film reaches the conclusion of the talk show, it becomes obvious as to why the town of Vaslui appears so downtrodden. Manescu’s account of the day the Romanian leadership stepped down is suspect at best. His version of the story cannot be corroborated by one of the many residents who call into the talk show. Nobody is able to give a clear account of the day's events, and answer whether or not the townspeople of Vaslui took to the streets prior to the leadership relinquishing power (at 12:08 p.m. on December 22, 1989), leaving us with a healthy suspicion. Even Old Man Piscoci tells his story of that day through an argument he had with his wife, that led him to the streets to protest; simply to show his wife that he was a real man.

On the other hand, Porumboiu suggests the people of Vaslui may be asking the wrong question, when they wonder whether or not they played any part in the Romanian revolution. Possibly the reason why they are not reaping the benefits of a revolutionary change is simply because they have yet to learn how.

The talk show closes with one last caller; a woman who confesses that her son was killed during the revolution. However, she does not call into the show to tell her story. Rather, she calls to tell the three men the weather conditions outside. “I’m just calling to let you know its snowing outside,” she exclaims. “It’s snowing, Big white flakes…enjoy it now, tomorrow it will be mud…” While debating history and their role in the Romanian revolution, the people of Vaslui are simply overlooking the simple joys and beauties of their country. Abandoning the melancholy single frame long takes; the director closes the film with soothing pictures of Vaslui, with white snow falling on the streets. 

Rating: 7/10

- Joshua Albrent

Next time:  A review of South Korean romantic comedy, Woman on the Beach, by Hong Sang-soo.  This review will appear after the Christmas holiday, on December 28th.